Emotional Manipulation
by Tangerine Daydreams
Summary: She had just wanted a second opinion of her baking and asked him on a whim. Now she was being hunted by some twisted vampire holding a teddy bear!
1. A Second Opinion

Eponine didn't feel attatched to this world. She somehow lingered between the real world and some other warped setting that would whisper her name. It set her apart from the crowd and labelled her as the 'spacey' kid that was most likely smoking marijuana by her classmates as surely no one could sit for five hours just staring out a window without being under some kind of substance. Rumours had even begun to circle that she starved herself to spare money for said drugs.

Eponine frowned at the thought, disliking how she had only attended this school for a week and already people had assumed the worst and, even for a moment, was thankful she was unlike the other humans in the room. That thought immediately diminished as another staggering figure passed by, clutching at her bloody throat and crying out a name in hoarse cry for attention, but she and everyone else went on about their days remaining ignorant to the diabolical happenings taking place in this school setting.

Ryoutei Academy seemed to have a high percentage of attacks and even deaths with school girls being the prime target that were covered up, Eponine briefly speculated what motivated parents to still send their children to such a place. Maybe a big ring of rich money knowingly spectated as a psychopathic serial killer was set loose in the school that would take down innocent students? Even better, the murders were actually caused by the design of the school, an elaborate murder house that acted similar to a gas chamber!

Eponine could practically hear _Lady_ Evelyn scolding her for speaking so ill of the dead but there was honestly nothing else to do. The deaths were nothing to sneeze at and occurred monthly, similar to period she let out a quiet giggle.

Could the murders sync up with hers like a _red_ heron?

Her laughter grew louder which made some of her classmates look up in alarm. This was the first time they had seen an expression other than a blank stare.

Her smile quickly faded and she looked out the window with distaste, now they must truly think she is on drugs. After all her tone and face was always carefully indifferent as she didn't know who was _real_ or not.

So far the only real person she knew was her seatmate and partner, Yui Komori. A pretty girl who always seemed to be running low on energy and did a poor job of hiding it. Whenever she stood she would sway slightly and get light headed and the morbid curiosity made Eponine tempted to give her a shove just to see if she would fall.

Every single time though Eponine would simply ask about her well being just because it was that obvious it was quite the opposite of the answer Yui always gave her, and making sure never to touch her as she really didn't want Yui to begin relying on her for support. There were many reasons she didn't want to assist Yui but the main being how obvious it was there were more problems going on in Yui's life and the snowball of stopping her from fainting in class would turn into the avalanche of heavier stuff that she did not want to involve herself in.

However, just because Yui couldn't rely on her didn't mean she couldn't rely on Yui since the girl was the selfless and giving type that was easy to take advantage of due to her naïve nature. For example, cuisine advice.

Yeah, not as evil as it sounded.

Eponine baked lots of sweets and cooked lots of meat, because she needed the pounds.

Before coming to the place she now calls home she was malnourished due to starvation, she looked a lot worse a week ago but she can still catch Phoebe cringe every time she shows any skin. Eponine wasn't offended but she wanted to be back to a healthier weight so people would stop fussing over it. Or starting rumours about being a deprived crack head she couldn't help but add, eyeing the popular clique huddled across the classroom.

Myah, had also commented that she had the "potential" to be beautiful, and that coming from her exotic housemate gave her hope that all this strain would be worth it.

With pale lemon coloured eyes, pale sickly skin and arctic blue hair which faded to white she had an unique aesthetic which added to her feeling of detachment from her setting but also made room for little girls to call her pretty things like "Ah, an ice princess!" and things similar.

Or the nasty little snots-nosed brats, "Eh? Whaddya mean? It's a shrivelled up old lady!"

'It' had a name thank you very much.

As the day dragged on the lunch bell released students from the stuffy classrooms.

Slowly gathering her things, Eponine, stood and turned to her swaying seatmate.

"Are you feeling alright, Yui-san?" Her indifferent drawl didn't feel like a question to her ears, more like a courtesy.

Despite that Yui smiled as if she had offered her a five star cruise across the seven seas.

"Yes, thank you for asking, Perri-san." She gave a full smile in her regular caring tone.

It however, caused Eponine to frown, "Yui-san, please call me Eponine, I know we're not close," For some reason her timid eyes seemed hurt at that statement, "But I have siblings attending this school and it gets confusing otherwise."

"Of course, sorry Eponine-san," her head was bent like a kicked puppy. If Eponine cared enough she would be concerned about Yui's home life right now. "Anyway, I cooked chicken and noodles and want your opinion since this is my third attempt at cooking meat."

She handed the blonde haired girl the bento and she opened it curiously, in spite of Eponine's issues with Yui a small part of her couldn't deny how cute it was how she put all her attention into something as simple as opening a box.

"Wow, Eponine-san! It looks delicious!" She closed her eyes and inhaled the scent.

"Hm, don't say that until you've tried the food," She took out her own bento, "And I know it's a weird food to eat at lunch but if I gave it to my- uh- family and it tasted like crap, they wouldn't let me live it down." Her eyes widened in realisation, "Oh! sorry for essentially admitting you're a guinea pig."

Yui simply smiled eating the food with amusement in her voice, "You must love them to go this far."

"Huh?"

"To spend all your time practising cooking to make them happy you must really cherish them..."

Eponine detected sadness and longing in her voice and Eponine needed to avoid being Yui's shoulder to cry on. Yui also seemed to think her quest to cook was an undying need to show her housemates affection.

"How does it taste?"

"Good but a bit bland maybe you should look into seasoning it? But it's not under cooked this time, or charred like the first time."

She could honestly care less about seasoning, her housemates could do it themselves. Knowing that Yui hadn't been food poisoned she dug into her own serving of food.

"Thanks for the advice, it helps." As soon as the words passed her lips Eponine grimaced, she couldn't have sounded less grateful.

Yui gave a small smile that showed she understood.

After twenty minutes of eating and the empty boxes were put away Yui seemed more...fidgety.

"Do you need the bathroom or something?" She blurted.

Yui flushed pink in embarrassment.

"N-no..." Her voice seemed scared.

Yui opened her mouth to say more but Eponine was quick to stop her spilling her problems.

"I made desserts for us to eat!" She was already on her feet, "I left it in the cooking classroom I'll fetch it!" And now she was leaving the classroom and pretended not hear Yui desperate cry to wait.

If she respected any of _Lady_ Evelyn's rules it was not get involved in others dilemmas but to simply exist and live for our own selfish desire. It wasn't as bad as it sounded it was just to simply live for themselves and not feel obligated to care for others.

When she entered the classroom her eyes landed a girl's hunched over figure as she clutched her eye in agony. She was wearing the same uniform although the collar of the shirt seemed ripped and her brown hair was dishevelled. Eponine hesitated at the door and cautiously eyed the girl and cringed when she saw her baked goods on the counter top beside the girl.

She began to make her way over and the figure groaned again.

Ignore her. Take the sweets and go.

The girl seemed to hear the sound and turned around and it took all her will power not to flinch and keep a steady pace. She was careful to act as if she had never seen the girl with her canary yellow eyes trained on the container.

That didn't stop the unknown student from trying to gain her attention.

"Please! Help me, help me! I only wanted to make him sweets but- but- Can you at least look as me! Please!" Her jittering fingers even tried grabbing her blazer but Eponine walked on making her fingers pass through like smoke.

Picking the box up she turned and had to resist sprinting out the room.

"You! Stop! I need your help! Why does no one ever do anything!" The girls voice had gone from sadness and turned in to a temper tantrum directed at the closest oven giving Eponine the perfect window to escape.

Eponine felt the cold beads of sweat down her forehead and had to remind herself that she wasn't obligated to help anyone, heck, that girl could be a one of the murderer's victims. She could become a target if she tried to help.

Swallowing, she noticed that her throat was dry and she felt as light headed as Yui. A smack on the back brought her back to the real world and made her stumble forward.

"What ya got there, Ghost girl?" Only one person she knew said that nickname with the warmth and familiarity that Tana did, despite the fact they hadn't known each other very long.

"Lizard Breath?"

"Yo!" The girl said loudly, a voice the brimmed with confidence and tone demanding attention. Her grin stretched across her face showing her huge canines, bigger than any Cullen.

Tana had a sharp face and high cheek bones, matted tangled ombre hair that was truly and eye sore, at their first meeting Eponine had wondered if she had a late morning but it turns out Tana was just a slob. Her confidence was also brimming in her piercing arched cobalt eyes and curvaceous body that attracted a lot of male students.

She stood legs apart in an intimidating posture, or so Eponine thought, and dressed very scruffy. Her blazer was tied around her waist, ribbons looking to be torn from the shirt and the first few buttons undone. Her skirt was short and she wore clunky boots for school shoes and no stockings in sight, Eponine prayed that Evelyn wouldn't give her another lecture on the ride home.

"You don't usually approach me at school." Tana surprisingly kept to herself up in the science labs.

"I could practically _smell_ the fear and figured you needed a 'real' person around." Tana's grin never faded as she gave the blue haired girl a one armed hug.

"Thanks..." Eponine's voice laced with suspicion.

"So, as a reward I reckon you should share them goodies." Her predotary gave landed on the container of treats in her arms.

"Something tells me the scent of fear and the scent of sugar are jumbled up on you." Eponine's apathetic drawl had no effect on the brunette as she helped herself to a small sweet.

Tana's pleased face etched into disgust as she, in a very unladylike manner, spat out the treat onto the floor.

"That's too sweet! Fucking hell! How much sugar is in that?! Tastes like shit!"

As the brunette ranted on Eponine felt relief that Tana's creepy façade of being a do-gooder had finally dropped. It was starting to get uncomfortable.

"I truly don't care for your opinion since you only care for spicy things." With an impatient huff and walked back to her classroom to a probably overly-worried Yui.

With Tana's hollers now just an echo Eponine was surprised to walk back into a Yui-less classroom.

Yui didn't strike as a ditcher so she assumed it must have been important. Then again she did run out on Yui when she seemed incredibly distressed.

Still that didn't fix her problem, she wanted a second opinion and, no, an impulsive idiot like Tana didn't count.

Looking around the empty classroom she saw _that_ kid.

The purple haired boy with a teddy bear that seemed just as disconnected with this world as she was. At first when she saw him he was so unique in aesthetic and personality she almost thought he wasn't real but she would be a hypocrite to question his existence based on how his colouring is unnatural to humans. She was curious about him but respected his aura of not wanting company.

However, today was different as he was looking straight at her and she stared back with the same unreadable gaze.

What was his name again?

She searched her brain but came up short. Did she even bother to hear it in the first place? She only ever acknowledged him because he looked so jarring in such a mundane setting. His fashion and teddy bear are in leagues of their own in attention drawing but she realised she was thinking too hard about someone she doesn't know.

"Do you like sweets?"

She needed a second opinion and decided the universe was telling her this was who it was meant to be.

"What a stupid question, neh Teddy?"

So he talks to the bear? She always assumed he was muttering to a classmate.

She wouldn't be deterred and made her way so she stood beside his desk, "I baked these sweets and would like an opinion of them, could I ask you to try one?"

He stared again with those cold eyes and she felt a chill run up her spine. His eyes fell to the box and suddenly snatched it out of her hands.

Rude.

But the curiosity was too strong as she watched fascinated as he delicately plucked a sweet and placed it in his mouth. His teeth lined with...fangs. Somehow she felt she had solved the big murder mystery.

Why was she so calm about this?

Her thoughts drifted back to the girl in the cooking rooms and her chest tightened.

She then realised she may have fucked up.

Training her eyes on his face his eyes were lit up in pleasure, "It's so sweet..." he murmured, he took another one just as quickly as he snatched the container.

When he took a pause to swallow she quickly chimed in before he could eat another, "What do you think?"

He froze and frowned like he didn't want to be reminded of her presence.

"You smell foul."

"I showered this morning." She honestly didn't know why she was defending herself to him.

"How can I enjoy this treat with you filthy smell so close to me!" He lashed out somehow was immediately standing in front of her screeching in a pitch that made her ears hurt.

Her mind raced with various scenarios of how this wouldn't end in her death.

"So you liked it?" She had said it trying to make him focus elsewhere but immediately regretted it.

"Don't ignore me!" His free hand, that wasn't clutching the bear, shot out and clutched her throat giving a vigorous shake.

He wasn't human like she was. He had large canines like Tana but was too cold to be like her.

"...Vampire?"

Her mouth, mind and body seemed to have a minds of their own. Her body trying to remove him with no success and her mouth giving away her thought process and she never felt so helpless.

"So you're not as stupid as the bride?" His voice had returned to a steady and calm tone that unnerved her when he was strangling her. His eyes were dead and like glass marbles holding an array of cold colours like they were designed to be unreadable just for the purpose of terrifying people.

Before her traitorous mouth could piss him off even more he loosened his grip and ducked his head and she let out a soundless scream as his fangs ripped into her throat and arched his neck in a more comfortable position tearing the skin apart further. Tears were rolling down her face and dripping from her chin and her ears rang every time she heard and a sucking sound or a sickening squelch,

Eponine's body froze, surely only a few seconds ago she just asked his opinion of her food? Now she was being bitten by a twisted vampire and didn't stand a chance.

Unless...

She closed her eyes and lifted her hand to softly press against his back her fingers glowed and she could sense his corrupted dark soul and hesitated sensing his familiarity with torturing souls and soul transferal. With her life on the line she pressed on ebbing away the distress and anger in his heart by mentally plucking the knots and tangles and sending a soothing sensation over his body like a mother coddling an upset infant. The girl held in a sigh of release when she felt his body grow less tense.

She began to feel light headed from blood loss when he pulled away, seemingly unaware of her, quite literal, emotional manipulation.

"You taste so sweet..." He spoke more to himself, eyelids drooping slightly and his eyes never changing.

"You can keep the sweets, I'm glad you seem to like them." She already planned to tell Evelyn and have the brat expelled. She hoped he choked on them sweets.

"Make me more, tomorrow." He clutched the bear to his chest and looked anxious. She didn't need to see his soul to see through his false act.

She agreed none the less, never expecting to see the boy again.

She froze when he spoke to the bear, "Neh Teddy, won't this be fun? She can't run and she and if she tells she'll die!" He finished with a delighted giggle. Suddenly he paused and looked at Eponine again with disgust, "You look pathetic, clean yourself up." He was mostly eyeing his bite mark and grabbed her collar, "Don't cover that up, it shows everyone you belong to me, you hear?!"

Who couldn't hear? Her mind quipped as she's shocked no one has come to check up on all the shouting.

Nodding fearfully, Eponine slowly draws back her hand that was now covered in sticky blood. Calmly walking to her bag, praying that she had tamed his emotions enough to not lash out again, she used her clean hand to rummage for a packet of ladybug tissues and began wiping her hand and cleaning her neck.

Eponine was determined to ignore the eyes that burned into her back making her feel branded, as she was about to pack her bag and go home- cause she was not spending another moment in this school- that same cold hand that had wrapped around her neck, was now twisting her wrist.

"I SAID DON'T IGNORE ME!"

His eyes stared at her with a cold intensity but what shocked her most was that his soul was flickering with such rage it as if she had never tampered with it. Was this the true strength of a vampire?

How could she respond? But he spoke before she could formulate a plan of action.

"You covered up my bite after I JUST told you that it shows you're mine!" His voice shook with anger but she couldn't help but feel like she was being shouted at by a possessive five-year old which didn't feel appropriate.

"I didn't want an infection...and we wear collared shirts, so how would-"

"SHUT UP!"

Eponine winced at the pitch of his bratty voice, sure she was scared but she was pissed too.

"Do you hate me?" His voice was now timid and he looked to be on the verge of tears...

She felt her eyes widen in surprise and took the risk of checking his soul and discovered that he was baiting her yet his anxiety was desperate for an honest answer. She closed her eyes and deduced that she was in fact dealing with a snotty brat trapped in a teenager's body. Brilliant.

Ignoring the vice grip on her wrist she spoke, "Honestly, I wouldn't have shared my food with you if I don't think you were cool." She made sure to look in his eyes, trying to appeal to his insecurities and try to charm him. After all it was the truth. It's what she HAD thought of him, now though... he better hope she doesn't poison her next batch of sweets.

She doesn't smile and her eyes stay hooded and uninterested but she feels he wouldn't appreciate her trying to smile for him. She knew he would see straight through her.

He stared at he before bursting out into psychotic laughter and she half expected a bolt of lighting to crack behind him like a crazy cartoon villain but even her humour didn't mask the fact that the air in the room seemed to drop and the air got thicker.

She looked down at his small hand on her wrist and frowned noting that it was only slightly bigger than hers, she looked up and noticed they were the same height! He seemed so much bigger earlier but now she wasn't as intimidated. Her pride would be the death of her. His grip dropped from her wrist to clutch his side and she subconsciously began wiping the side of her neck and could and only wonder what a state she must look.

The purple haired boy stopped laughing and before she knew it he was pulling away her hand that had been dabbing the drying blood and his head neared her neck, tongue lapping up the excess blood like a thirsty dog.

His tongue was warmer than the rest of his body but still cold and she tried to not squirm as the wet muscle glided across her skin.

When she told Lady Evelyn this kid will be dead! Then she would never see Mister...She realised she didn't know his name! Evelyn would think she was lying if she didn't even have a name! Was it worth asking?

She was so lost in thought she didn't notice the kid step back to admire his work, his thumb caressing the two puncture holes.

"You sit next to Yui-san." He stated and she snapped out of her thoughts, her blank stare hopefully hiding the fact she had 'ignored' him again.

"Oh, yes. I'm Perri Eponine, but since I have siblings going here it's best you call me Eponine." Her voice droned the rehearsed lines from the hours Evelyn had made her spend repeating the same speech which made her introduction lack much energy or warmth. However, she feel the boy standing in front of her doesn't care all that much.

"I knew that, do you think I'm as dumb as you?" He used both arms to clutch his bear, "What a stupid human neh, Teddy? How insulting."

Irritation built up and she tried to channel her inner anger and let out a long pent up sigh trying not to shout.

"Sorry, I don't know you're name and I stupidly assumed that you didn't know mine..." She picked up bag and placed it on her shoulder.

"Sakamaki Kanato."

His tone was dead, ominous and honestly quite terrifying.

"Okay, well class starts soon so I'll bring you some sweets tomorrow Sakamaki-san." She was already shuffling backwards ready to make a break for the school gates but paused when his voice spoke again.

"It's Kanato, don't lump me with the rest of them." His voice sounded irritated.

She pieced together that he must have siblings in this school that he mustn't be too fond of, whoever had to go home with him she felt sorry for.

She nodded trying to sound relatable, "Uh, yeah I get that. I won't make that mistake again Kanato-san."

Eponine pretended she didn't hear his next words.

"I'll enjoy watching your expression when I make you into my doll..."

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 **Hello any readers that made it till the end, I truly appreciate you taking the time to read it!**

 **I hope you don't mind following the character of Eponine, she has her faults but I hope it's not off-putting. In case anyone is having trouble pronouncing her name it's pronounced Ep-Oh-Neen. It's strange name for a strange girl.**

 **Please feel free to leave a review/follow/favourite I'd really appreciate it. I'll link to art of these OCs in future chapters for now I hope you can get a vague idea of what the protagonist looks like.**


	2. It's Bland

"He... _bit_ you?"

Perri Evelyn wasn't impressed.

But has she ever really been impressed? One couldn't help but wonder.

"Yeah, I want him expelled." Despite herself, the icy haired girl couldn't project any anger into her voice and shrank under her housemate's scrutinising stare. She nervously shifted her weight as she hovered in the door way of Evelyn's library.

Yeah they were _that_ kind of rich.

"That won't be possible, you're dismissed." Her cold voice of authority echoed in Eponine's ears and she looked up and finally made eye contact with, quite possibly, the most beautiful woman she had ever seen.

Lady Evelyn was evidently tall, passing Tana and stood at an intimidating 5'11. Her tall and slender stature was concealed by a dark dress that reached below her knees and was as prim and proper as ever despite being in the comfort of her own home. She had a stiff beautiful face that was hard not to stare at with marble porcelain skin and apathetic lemon yellow eyes that hold that irritating superior look. Her hair was groomed and fell to mid-back and half weaved up into a French braided bun with parted bangs framing her face, it started as a glossy black to a deep navy at the tips.

"You mean even though I've been threatened and assaulted you won't do anything despite it being you're responsibility?" She knew she had no real attachment to the girls who lived here and one look at Evelyn to know she wasn't respected at all.

Because she was a human.

The creatures who were blissfully unaware that in this world they are at the bottom of the food chain.

She was an ant compared to the dark beauty and that's how everyone saw it. Evelyn was at the top, the best of the bunch with an illustrious lineage and powerful blood in her veins. Her housemates were similar cases.

"I believe I told not to involve yourself with others. I'd normally intervene but you've involved yourself with a Sakamaki Prince, I can't pull any strings." Her patronising voice made the frail girl feel as if she was reading a copy of 'The Demon World for Dummies'.

"P-Prince...?" Eponine could feel her eyes widen in horror.

Evelyn smirked slightly at the unusual expression on her stoic acquaintance's face.

"Yes, his father is the Vampire King. All six of his sons attend our school, I even believe another one of his sons are in your class."

"So... I'm a sitting duck?" Her voice seemed so normal and her expression was so nonchalant. In her mind Eponine was dying, she saw this boy's soul. What he was at his core. A sadistic predator that would inflict pain onto others rather than deal with it himself. A little boy who would lash out whilst simultaneously begging to be understood and coddled.

Such an aggravating contradiction.

The kind of person she despised.

"Like you said, you're my responsibility." Her head snapped back up to see Evelyn walking forward and placing a bottle of medication into the smaller girl's palm, "I'll make sure you don't die."

Evelyn's confident stare, that was usually caused be smugness and arrogance, never felt so reassuring. Eponine knew she could always turn to Eveyln for the facts and receive an honest answer. It was her one redeeming quality.

"I won't die? Are Kanato and his brothers the reasons for these deaths?" I asked despite already knowing the answer.

"Yes, but no one mourns them. Once those girls get broken it's as if they never existed."

"I see them. They're always begging for help." Because if no one mourns them and no justice is served, they have no where else to go.

"Ignore them."

"I can't tell who is real."

Evelyn's cool hand landed on my shoulder, "If they bleed from their neck, they are not real. If they can pass through you, they are not real."

Eponine frowned wanting to scream at the taller girl that is was easier said then done.

"Do not give yourself away. You are a gifted mortal with valuable blood in your veins, don't waste the opportunity being presented to you on a foolish mistake." Her grip on Eponine's shoulder digging into her bone forcing Eponine to lower her body slightly under the pressure.

"I won't." The thin girl grumbled, severely irritated at the mistreatment her body had been through today.

Instantly, the pressure on her shoulder vanished and she looked back across the library to find the older girl in her comfortable plush armchair and her nose back in her novel.

Eponine stood for a long moment taking in the conversation and looked down to the white container in her hands and spied the words 'anaemic' and 'for blood loss' which made her wonder if Eponine had this bottle on standby. Had she anticipated this?

"Hey, Lady Evelyn?"

Evelyn looked up from her novel, _'Enduring Love_ ' from what she could make out, and the sickly girl deduced it was another one of those English classics from Evelyn's home country that she was obsessed with. Eponine, despite not knowing the older girl long, found it cute that Evelyn was a closet fiction lover.

"Thank you...for the medicine. And the information. And helping in general."

As she turned to leave Eponine sensed the appreciation and could practically feel the girl's ego swell.

"Not a problem, Eponine. Do you need help finding your room?"

Eponine paused, "No thank you, I have it figured out now." She had figured out the ground floor and the first floor. The tunnels, second and third floors- heck even the smaller stair cases on the ground floor- she had yet to explore. Whenever she finds the motivation. A month of living in the remote country house and she only just learned the bare basics: Her room, her housemates rooms, the dining room, the music room, the game room and the gardens were the only places she knew by heart.

Just as Evelyn opened her mouth to respond a riotous crash that sounded like cans and tins hitting the floor echoed around the home.

Followed by, "TANA! YOU FUCKING _CUNT_!"

"Sounds like Phoebe's upset." Eponine commented unhelpfully before slipping into the corridor to take refuge in her room.

Eveyln pinched the bridge of her nosed and sighed heavily and went to go fix the issue between her two feuding housemates. For the third time this week.

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Hours later Eponine was putting her last dish on the dining table, it was odd that such a large house had no staff to care for the home, yet it was spotless.

It was all thanks to the woman walking through the archway sitting at the dining table opposite to where Eponine had just taken a seat. They both helped themselves to servings of food in silence but when the smaller curious pale gold eyes looked up they clashed with hooded magenta that were brimming with mirth.

"That's an interesting looking hickey you have there, Eponine." The syllables popped on her tongue and the skinny girl kept her face neutral.

"I got bitten by a vampire Prince, Myah." Her deadpan voice made Myah burst into delighted laughter.

Myah was shorter than Eponine and around Yui's height with chin-length mint green hair and intelligent challenging pink eyes, she was exotic looking with toffee coloured skin and curvy body. The aura she gave off was sultry and mysterious.

Myah wore her uniform as the dress code instructed correctly, for the most part, but opted for wearing a vest instead of the blazer. Eponine recognised that her housemate must have come back from some club activity for her to still be in uniform.

"How exciting, are vampire bites as arousing as the rumours say?" She teased, completely unsurprised to the vampire news. She wondered how many people knew about the vampires prowling their high school.

Eponine considered the statement also hearing such a rumour but shook her head when looking back on her experience.

"It wasn't pleasant. My underwear is still quite dry."

Myah laughed again.

Eponine liked Myah on a surface level, she didn't know anything past the face she was presented but she did like the character Myah played and found the easiest to converse with.

"What are we talking about?" A soft voice called and Eponine saw a short figure with bubblegum pink hair sit in the chair next to Myah.

"The possibility of Eponine being asexual due to her non existent sex drive." The green haired girl fired back without missing a beat.

The small girl seemed confused while Eponine frowned, "He had sharp fangs...being stabbed in the neck isn't arousing."

Myah frowned in mocking disapproval, "Vanilla."

"What does an ice cream flavour have to do with this?"

"You two are gross."

Phoebe wasn't high on that supernatural food chain that Eponine was always subjected to, in fact, the girl was only a few steps up from humans. Appearance wise what stood out about Phoebe was that she wasn't as slim or dainty as her housemates but thicker in build. She has a medium skin tone that glowed dimly in the light as well as her bubble-gum pink hair that faded to white at the tips. She had bright canary-yellow eyes and took pride in her curves.

"Had you heard about it then?" Eponine tilted her head slightly.

Phoebe nodded, "Evie told me."

"Do not refer to me as Evie."

Evelyn strided across the room taking two plates and set one next on the placemat a chair down from Eponine and sat in her own seat next to Phoebe. Her posture was perfect and she delicately bit into the meat on her plate, her eyes widened a fraction.

"This doesn't taste poor, it's great improvement, Eponine-san." Said girl felt her lips quirk slightly in accomplishment after all pleasing Evelyn was no easy feat, "Still, a bit bland."

Of course it was. Why did she even bother?

Next up to the table was the youngest member of the household, Lily. A quiet young girl with golden hair and forest green eyes that shone with curiosity at the world around her. Eponine couldn't help but be reminded of Yui. She was imported from some place in Europe and was still picking up Japanese which made Eponine feel slightly more comfortable not being the only one still getting used to the new location.

Lily tended to follow Evelyn like a lost duckling and was the only one who got along with everyone in the house. Eponine theorised that Lily got extra points because she was a child, a quiet non-annoying child at that.

Lily also seemed to have no fashion sense and would wear the gaudiest clothes imaginable, like right now. Everyone looked bemused as the child pulled out the chair dressed in a large Ghibli jumper, a tacky sequined tutu, neon green crocs and a Pokémon bandana. What truly fascinating kid.

"I've already prepared you're food for you." Evelyn spoke like clockwork as if the kid couldn't piece that together to first million times, Eponine resisted the urge to roll her eyes.

The girl's cat-like eyes gazed up at the eldest and nodded with a quiet, "Thank you."

"...so, where did you find those...lovely..shoes, Lily-chan?"

Well not all the residents had grown fond of Lily's wardrobe, Phoebe's inner artist looked like the clashing colours were melting her eyeballs.

Lily, however, seemed to neither notice or care and simply shrugged, "Found 'em."

"Speak properly, Lily-san." Evelyn's voice called over Phoebe's long groan of frustration.

"I found them, Phobe-chan." Lily even added a cute smile on the end.

"Better."

Dinner went on without many more arguments and was rather pleasant and Eponine enjoyed observing all the chatter yet found her eyes drifting to the empty seat between her and Lily and wondered what her final housemate was doing to be missing dinner.

By the time everyone's plates were nearing empty she felt a warm presence beside her and the familiar sound of a chair dragging out and someone sitting down.

She turned her head to find Tana as messy as ever taking all the remaining food and piling it on to her plate and she thought she saw Myah's eye twitch at the mess the brunette was making.

As Tana munched on her food she also ignored the burning glare of the shorter teenager across from her.

"Why are you so late, Tana-san? You're usually the first at the table." Eponine decided to break the ever-rising tension, not wanting another headache if a fight started.

"Oh, one of the lizards' tank broke so I was fixing up a new one. It's all good now though." She then turned her mischievous eyes to Evelyn, her voice dripping in sarcasm, "And don't worry, _Lady Evelyn_ , I even washed my hands."

Eponine felt herself deflate into her seat and wondered why these girls tried to piss each other off so much. Evelyn tensed and closed her eyes inhaling and exhaling clearly trying not to lose her temper.

"Well, now that we're all here," She opened her eyes and those yellow irises seemed determined to stay on topic. "I'm sure you all know how Eponine-san has now involved herself with the vampire princes."

Phoebe let out a long whistle, "Whoa, I thought you meant the half bloods, but the princes?" She smirked at the human, "You're in deep shit."

"Language, please." Evelyn posture became straighter, somehow.

"I thought I smelled something earlier!" Tana clicked her fingers as the pieces fit together.

Eponine turned to Tana half-horrified half-angry her eyes showing betrayal, "Why didn't you help me?" She hated how her voice wasn't as accusatory nor powerful as she wanted.

Tana turned to the girl with a frown, "I'm sorry I thought " _the scent of fear and the scent of sugar are jumbled up on you,"_ didn't feel the need to check up on you again." She shrugged.

Eponine felt her blood boil at such a petty excuse seeing straight through the defensive girl.

"What? That was a joke, you _knew_ it was a joke you just didn't want to get involved. Don't make up such pathetic excuses." Her voice had finally reached the frosty and cutting sound she wanted and took satisfaction in seeing the brunette snap in anger.

"Hah!?" She sat up and looked down on the human her presence instantly turning predatory and her eyes fierce.

"Tana."

Just like that Evelyn was the centre of attention again.

"It was wise of Tana to not get involved for her own safety, Vampires are possessive creatures that we don't engage with." Eponine felt her rage simmer as well as the temperamental girl beside her.

"A women are weaker by nature, we make easier targets. We also can't fight off vampires in a setting littered with humans." She sighed, "So I suggest we all carry medications for her if she gets attacked again."

"Can't I just attend a different school?"

Eponine grew concerned when the girls all shared a glance, something of unspoken fear in their gazes.

"I'm afraid not, it's what is best for your rehabilitation to be in more social situations and receive and education."

Like that the conversation was over.

Tana turned to Lily with an amused grin, "So Lily, you like the shoes I bought ya?"

"So it was you!" Phoebe lunged across the table in a fit of rage.

Almost immediately Eponine, Myah and Lily stood up to empty their plates in the Kitchens, leaving Evelyn to deal with the all out brawl taking place with the chairs hitting the floor with angry cracks.

The arctic-haired girl rubbed her forehead in a mix of frustration and exhaustion.

She cleared her plate and turned to Myah who was already looking her way, "Your life was meant to be fucked up since the moment you were born, there's no point complaining about it." Her suave way of talking almost masked the ominous statement and filled her with dread.

"You mean I'm going to die?"

"Death would be life doing you a kindness. I just said you're life will always be like this, since we will be keeping you alive." The mint-haired girl took Eponine's plate from her bony fingers.

"Why?"

"It had to be someone...it just so happened to be you."

Despite the vague answers that made her want to tear her hair out in frustration she still couldn't help but watch as Myah enchanted the plate and cutlery to rise out of her hands and begin to wash and dry like the cleaning up scene from the 'Sword in the stone' she watched when her father left the house.

A month in this home and the magic element hadn't become the norm as it had for the rest of the residents.

Leaving Myah to do the rest of the chores she scurried off to her room.

Her room was cool and her only solace where she could think. It was enormous compared to the closet-sized room she used to sleep in, with her own bathroom and a colour scheme of her choice. At the time she chose lilacs and pastel cold colours that once made her feel at peace yet as she walked into the room and flipped the light switch all she could see were Kanato's marble eyes.

Sitting on her bed she could see the sun rising in the sky and found the energy to stand up to shut the large curtains and doors to the balcony, not wanting to have any distractions for her sleep. Stepping into the pristine bathroom she filled a cup of water and took the medication before placing the container into the cabinet behind the mirror. She then looked at the mirror and attempted to face her horrid reflection.

Her hair was limp and thin as ever but her face was another story, her skin looked the grey shade of a corpse and her hollow cheeks were drained. She truly looked dead and her eyes lacked much life seemingly as done with today as she was. she felt her fingers lightly trace the wrapping around her throat and undid the bandages to see dark purple bruises and two neat puncture wounds that hadn't swelled up for some reason. She deduced it must be a vampire thing. Turning her head she saw that the bite wasn't infected and already scabbing over, she placed some healing ointment over her throat and wrist, which had also bruised in his grasp, and went to sleep knowing it would be healed by tomorrow. A huge positive of living with the supernatural was advanced medicine.

That night she dreamt of a frail girl with arctic-blue hair and pale gold eyes being plagued with ever following eyes and groping hands and was helpless to stop it.

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Yui was surprised to see that Kanato was watching Eponine-san with such intensity she grew very worried for her classmate. She saw no marks on her friend's neck and breathed a sigh of relief that thee girl seemed to be in no danger. Again her curious sherbet eyes drew back to the purple-haired Vampire who still sat staring at the emotionless girl a few seats ahead of him.

Cautiously taking her seat next to the quiet girl she put on her best smile, "How did your dinner go, Eponine-san?"

Her spacey yellow eyes drifted to the blonde, "Evelyn agreed that it was bland."

Yui couldn't help but giggle. Everything was the same and she couldn't help but think she was over-worrying earlier.

As the day moved on Eponine was leaving the cooking rooms when the lunch bell chimed and walked to her classroom only to realise there was no vampire and she contemplated if she should go and hide or wait around. The terrified part of her brain compromised that she could wait around for ten minutes before running to the women's restroom and waiting out the rest of the hour. The pale girl made sure to stand with her back to the wall right next to the door so she had the easiest means of escape and began to wait.

The ten minutes seemed to drag so she decided to open up the food and chew on a stray strawberry that had fallen off one of the cupcakes enjoying the burst of sweetness on her tongue. After all, she reasoned, the entire cooking thing was for her to regain weight. Not for insecure man-child vampires with daddy issues.

She assumed he had daddy issues of course cause someone had fucked him up.

When no one showed up she decided to go to plan B.

She casually made her way to the bathrooms on the floor above her, refusing to get jump scared by warily scoping the halls. Yui had run off at lunch with great urgency and Eponine refused to concern herself yet couldn't help but long for someone to talk to. She let her eyes wander and from the window she could see Evelyn being stopped by some mean-looking tall guy in glasses and was mildly entertained by the stiff teenagers conversing, wishing she could hear the awkward conversation.

Walking on she also spied some guy sleeping on the stairwell which was quite an ass thing to do but she summed it down to the spoilt-brat-etiquette of these rich students and climbed over him with little difficulty. She would have kept going did she not catch the smirk on his lips and despite being convinced he was sleeping she could feel it was directed at her.

"Black and white bows...how boring."

She kept her unchanging blank stare doing the mystery solving in her head but came up short and shrugged before continuing to ascend the staircase and turned to go up the next set and suddenly paused thinking back to herself getting changed this morning and gasped and looked down at the boy. She had thought that her underwear was cute. She finally acknowledged his appearance the only things jumping out at her were his blazer-cape fashion and his honey-blonde hair.

"If you're going to use such a deceitful way to be a pervert you shouldn't be telling the girl." She didn't know why she was helping a pervert but she feels she was longing for some conversation.

He didn't open his eyes but his smirk stayed, "How lewd, suggesting you want me to keep watching more."

She tilted her head honestly not knowing how he came to that conclusion, "It's a clever method but now that I know I'll slide down the bannister." With that she kept walking trying not to sprint to the restroom.

On the next floor was the roof top but that's where most girls disappear and she could sense that they roamed up there like busy subways in Tokyo. Looking around she saw that a female student was lying at the bottom of the staircase and she was holding her leg in pain and the blood from her neck ran freely, her cropped black hair clung to her face. The frail girl quickly averted her eyes and began to walk down the polished corridors her shoed padding softly on the waxed floors.

"Where you looking for me, Eponine-san?"

She shivered and turned her cold eyes to Kanato trying her hardest to not lie. He stood as usual, clutching his bear and all of a sudden her medication from Evelyn seemed to weigh a tonne in her pocket.

"I was on the look out for you, Kanato-san." She raised the food container higher for him to see. "I hope you like strawberries."

"I do, Stupid human...strawberries are sweet." He walked closer with his eyes on the lid, taking the hint she popped it off and held it out. He studied the cupcakes before making his way to the staircase. "I want to sit down and eat." He walked through the rocking girl like she was nothing and narrowed his eyes when her saw the weak girl blankly staring at the bottom of the staircase.

His frustration grew when he couldn't see or smell what she was feeling, not enjoying his lack of control on the girl. At the top of the stairs he looked down at her like the ant she was, "Hurry up, Foolish girl! Don't ignore me!...neh Teddy? It's easy to fall on these stairs..."

Instead of the frightened gaze he wanted he carefully watched something click together as her eyes briefly flickered between him and the bottom of the stairs before snapping in to action and going up the stairs in a pace that only angered him further.

"I said hurry up!"

Eponine did as she was told and walked out with him on the rooftop trying to ignore the was he was analysing her and inwardly cursing herself for acting suspicious. He was quite guarded, his back as straight as ever to seem more intimidating and she thought that he probably hated being eye-level with her.

She made sure to keep her eyes in his direction and followed him like an obedient puppy to one of the benches and tried to think up ways to avoid dying up on the roof or from being pushed down the stairs.

She re-opened the lid to the cupcakes and placed it in the gap between them whilst the vampire placed his plush in the space next to him. Smelling the food he took one of the cakes and bit in savouring the first bit silently enjoying the fear tensing in the girl next to him yet was also irritated at her distracting him from his food.

"It's sweet." He finished it with the same commentary. She felt herself missing Yui's lengthier input suddenly deciding that she didn't like the silence in between them that the platinum blonde would fill.

"It was fun to make." She didn't really know what to say to the boy and she kicked her legs slightly watching the night sky. What made it worse were the girls walking around the rooftop- roughly five and they all had bloody necks, all young and beautiful. She looked at one girl in particular who stared at the night sky similar to her with the same dead stare and Eponine felt herself shifting closer to Kanto. They didn't venture round area they were sitting and she counted herself lucky that Kanto had chosen this spot to sit.

"Do you hate me, Eponine-san?" She felt a wave of Deja vu.

"No." She was scared of him sure but it was too much effort for her to invest such hatred in him as she was just too passive.

"Then do you want to know more about me?"

She hated how he put her on the spot.

"You seem interesting enough." That was an understatement.

"Then please make the effort to learn more about me." He was smiling to Teddy and she took that moment to think.

"Then what's you're favourite hobby?" She could feel him staring at her, "I can only learn about you from _you_ , Kanato-san."

The wind blew viciously, rusting her messy hair into tangles and crawling up her clothes but her eyes were trained on Kanto, one minute he was staring and next she was on her back with him pinning her down.

She cringed as the hard wood pressed into her spine and she barely heard the food hit the floor as her eyes were fixed on the blazing eyes that bore down on her in fury and raw anger. His body was leaning over her torso with her legs awkwardly hanging off the side, burning her hips and thighs. His cold hands buried in her hair, pulling apart her messy twin buns that she wore daily and forced her neck to arch, vulnerable to his attack. She felt his other hand by her head boxing her head between his arm and the back of the wooden bench.

"How conceited do you think you are!?" She feebly pushed at his chest. "Who do you think you are asking me questions so casually! You are nothing! A filthy insect!"

Her mind clouded in confusion and didn't bother to read his soul as she knew all she would find would be the clashing emotions that he was taking out on her.

Her case and evidence being when his eyes suddenly turned hooded and suspicious as he pulled down the collar to expose her mostly clear neck.

"My bite is already healing...you're different." The girl tried not to give away anything by blankly staring at him. "And your expressions are quite boring for a human, the smell isn't enough I want to give me a cute look of pure terror."

He leaned down and she clenched her eyes shut for the impending pain in her neck only to feel a pressure on her lips and that familiar cold wet muscle forcing itself into her mouth. Her hooded eyes flew open in shock seeing Kanto's close-eyed face as he passionately violated her. His tongue washed over mouth and the force of it pushed her down until she felt the back of her head collide with the bench seat. He pulled away with a disgusting string of saliva connecting them. He finally looked at her face and seemed happier with her petrified expression before biting her neck with a crunch that made her grimace.

She felt the pain pulsing and throbbing in her neck but also another vaguely familiar sensation that took her a while to remember. She felt arousal. Shame was the first thing she felt, shame in her body for it involuntary reaction. She felt ashamed for being in such a situation and again for being so helpless. Her arms tried pushing with no avail and she reasoned that if he was distracted with her blood it was her time to violate him.

Her finger pads glowed a soft silver and caressed his heated soul, simmering his heated anger and coaxing his more calmer nature to come out. She played along of course, with her weakening body she pretended to grip the folds of his shirt with one hand and use the other to latch onto the back of his blazer. She made sure to make him feel comfortable and caress his soul in a final caring touch.

With a few more gulps he pulled away, noticeably more gentle and he stared at her his eyes landing on the box of spoiled food on the floor.

"You've ruined my food, come after school to bake me more." With that he picked up his bear and walked away.

When the door closed she stood, not bothering to pick up the food, and wobbled on her legs. She knew she was scared of Kanto and going to his house was anything but wise and she had no choice in the matter. But she noticed there were more victims on the roof than she thought, maybe more than ten. All grotesque and twisted in their own way and they walked past her despite avoiding the area like the plague mere moments ago.

She hated herself for noticing it.

Every spirit shied away from Kanato Sakamaki and she couldn't help but suddenly feel safer in his presence.

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 **Hello to the readers who made it this far, I appreciate it!**

 **So I didn't plan to put Shuu here but Shuu finds himself in the weirdest places I think Eponine would have to stumble across him eventually.**

 **I took some lines from the games and our heroine seems to be looking for some positives in her life.**

 **I don't want to litter this story in Oc's and I'd like to focus this story on Eponine BUT her home life is important and who's not to say they don't get more important later? I just personally don't enjoy when a entire group of characters are thrust in your face and have to remember every little thing about them. I'd say Evelyn would be the one to try and remember. I tried to make them as different as I could since in this show the supernatural get some nice individual colour schemes.**

 **Any review/ follow/favourite would be greatly appreciated!**


	3. Snakes Everywhere

I couldn't sleep well last night as my eyes kept dragging to the ever multiplying dosage of anaemic pills that were piling up on the counter top of the bathroom. My mind was racing with thoughts and speculation against the people who claimed to be sheltering me and how they had all just happened to have these drugs on standby. How the 'superior' beings wouldn't even consider going up against a vampire and wouldn't allow me to switch schools.

I knew that they knew I wasn't stupid so they would avoid the elephant in the room and keep everything vague and unhelpful. I could feel any bonds or attachments to these girls slipping and I realised how alone I was. No where to turn and no higher authority that would help. The police were useless against a realm of demons and witches.

Kanato had demanded I come home with him after school with no room for question. I had spent most my life being passive to all this treatment that my body would now go along with it and comply to his actions so shamefully and weakly. Kanato was right to that extent, that I was stupid and weak but I argued with myself in my mind that my body couldn't help it and Kanato was so mentally disturbed that the only other option would be death. The fact that Eveyln couldn't even touch him eased my conscious and once again I was adapting to yet another abusive situation.

I feebly justified that since I could identify the actions and how wrong they were and apply logic to my helplessness it somehow gave me more control of the situation. It sounded mad but it was all I could think of.

The ability to tamper and guide his feelings to my bidding also helped a great deal, God forbid I was a ordinary girl, I would have been dead just from blood loss.

Speaking of blood loss, Myah had given me a carton of cranberry juice stating it was good for the blood and typically used for anaemic cases and, fortunately, I found the beverage delicious and the right amount of fruity. The box felt so light and innocent in my bony hand, like the store bought brands a mother would give their kid to have at break time. It didn't feel appropriate to be using it to recover from a vampire bite and the clash of tones almost brought a cynical smile to my face.

Sitting at my desk I absentmindedly held the straw to my lips to take another sip when I felt and imposing figure next to me. I looked up to see a tall male student with the green eyes of a python and decided to call him Snakey. He didn't look reliable and probably gossiped on the daily with his dyed red hair and appalling uniform, I felt my eyebrow raise at the school tie knotted around his neck like a noose. Truly it must take _more_ effort to dress that scruffy than to simply wear the normal uniform because, my eyes dropped to his legs, he must pull that trouser leg up and pin it. There was no other logical reason for it to be bunched up under his knee.

"Oi, Skeleton!" He growled baring his...fangs.

I wanted to just jump out the window then and there. Evelyn's voice rang in my head reminding me of an earlier conversation of one of Kanato's brothers being in my class too.

Snakey's eyes narrowed, if they could possibly narrow any further.

"OI, don't ignore Ore-sama," I wanted to laugh wondering how this guy was so unaware at how ridiculous he looked and sounded, "Why do you suddenly smell like the Hysteric?"

I felt the corner of my lips quirk up at 'the Hysteric' finding the name hilarious and wanted to see Kanato's reaction to being referred to as such. It seemed when he got home to his brothers he had to get off his high horse. Looking back up into Snakey's eyes it seemed he was super glued to his saddle and was never coming down and she admired his obnoxious self confidence as she had never seen anything like it.

"Hah? Say something Skeleton, are you laughing at Ore-sama!?"

Skelton? My hand subconsciously rose to my hollowed cheek bone and was pleased that it was fuller than before but I couldn't pretend that my skin complexion wasn't anything other than corpse grey after being drained of so much blood the past couple of days.

"I'm gaining weight." Hearing the words fall from my mouth had me wanting to face plant the table in shame. I diverted my eyes to see no sign of Kanato or Yui to come and rescue me from this circus act.

"Ore-sama doesn't care about your fucking diet! Answer the question!" His hand slammed on my desk for extra effect and once again I couldn't help but compare the big scary vampire to a small infant throwing a tantrum for attention. I could definitely see the family connection.

"I was not laughing at you." My voice was even and smooth and true, I had only _wanted_ to laugh at him.

His temper only seemed to flare and he leaned down closer and I could feel the tips of his ruby hair tickles my forehead and I fought down the urge to bat it away. "That's not the question I was referring to! Stop avoiding the damn question!"

I felt my eyes widen in response not expecting him to detect my bullshit as he seemed to be a moron and I deduced that my acting mustn't have been good enough as it would damage my ego if Snakey here was smart enough to see through me.

"You're brother is my food tester." He seemed to detest the notion of being referred to as Kanato's brother as his mouth dipped into a sneer and I just wanted to tread lightly until more people started filing into the classroom.

"Is that all?" He was smirking his snakey eyes in his snakey skull fell to my shirt collar which covered the fading bite mark but under his gaze I felt naked and exposed. His serpent hand slithered to the buttons of my collar, I assumed to find 'proof' of Kanato's work but my hand acted immediately. Instead of grabbing his wrist uselessly I balled my 'skeleton' fist, poked out my index and middle finger and jabbed him in the eyes.

He clearly hadn't been expecting assuming that my passive nature meant I would let him do whatever he wanted. In some cases that would be true but my instincts were right, he was a moron.

He fell back with his hand covering his face, squatting down to rub his eyes. The cruel part of me thought it would be appropriate to shove him in the side with my foot and due to him being so off guard he toppled to the floor.

Everyone in the class was laughing and I looked around to see Kanato smiling sadistically and murmuring to his stuffed toy in what I assumed was joy. I couldn't imagine why me abusing his brother would be so amazing but I assumed his family must just be that messed up. Next to him was Yui who looked extremely concerned for Snakey even going as far as to rush over, clearly too afraid to touch him but her voice gave away that she wanted to.

I was honestly surprised to see my seatmate move so quickly when she seemed barely able to stand like she'd been...drained. Like she didn't have enough blood to be supporting her body. The gears in my mind began to turn as she addressed the vampire so familiarly with such caution, as if the wrong move would be her last. Yui Komori was a vampire blood bag.

Or _was_ she a blood bag.

Had Yui been a spirit this whole time? I'd only ever talked to her and never cared to see what she did outside the classroom. She longed to see her family and befriended the student that everyone thought was a delusional delinquent. It seemed too convenient someone that nice would appear when I wished for someone to talk to.

However, she didn't look dead, her clothes were clean of blood and wasn't deformed in anyway. Heck she'd even eaten the food I had prepared. Dead apparitions couldn't eat food could they?

"Get away from me, Chichinashi!"

The vampire reacted by shoving the tiny girl back and something made me steady her, not really liking it when other people treated Yui like shit. It made me feel like shit for doing the exact same thing.

I also noticed Snakey's cruel pattern of nicknaming people. Hysteric, Skeleton and Pancake? He seemed even more of an ass than Kanato, which takes some damn effort in my books. So far the list went: Snakey, Kanato, Stair Pervert and then Yui. Yui representing zero of course. I felt my appreciation of Yui expanding the more I sat around with these vampires.

Yui looked at me gratefully and tried again to talk to Snakey as he stood up blinking violently to restore his vision and when he did I felt myself nearly getting whiplash he had grabbed me so fast. He tugged the front of my white blouse and again his annoying hair was irritating my forehead but now I didn't even entertain the idea of flicking it out the way.

"You skeleton bitch!" I grimaces at the small splatter of spit on my eyelids and cheeks as he screamed in my face and shook me like a rag doll, "I'll kill you!" I could faintly hear Yui as she tried to pull back Snakey.

Snakey also didn't seem to care for the bleeding girls who also wanted his attention I couldn't help but notice the most amount of bleeding school girls surrounded Snakey and craved his attention. He only seemed to notice Yui and I now engrained more faces to register as spirits and not living students.

"You have the nerve to ignore Ore-sama again?!" The shaking became more vigorous yet I couldn't speak out of fear of biting my tongue. And more blood meant more vampires.

By now students had filled up the class and began intervening out of pity for me.

As Snakey continued to throttle me a steady and eerie voice broke though the noise and echoed in my ears.

"Ayato, don't touch Eponine-san so casually..." Ayato and the rest of the students froze as Kanto stood in the corner of the room behind his desk.

Ayato's 'casual' touch only seemed to tighten as he wheeled around to face Kanato, dragging me with him.

"Are you telling Ore-sama what to do, Hysteric?"

The air seemed tense and all I could do was stare at the vampire who had bitten into me like an animal and inwardly beg him with my eyes to do something. I'd hate myself for it later but in that moment it was my last resort. I couldn't use my abilities in a room full of people anyway and I doubted any of my housemates would come to my aid.

"That is not my name so please don't refer to me by that!" He stood his ground, "And get your filthy hands off of my new doll."

That put everything into perspective, I had been comparing these vampires to overgrown children, failing to realise that I was the new shiny toy they could use as they wished no matter how violent because I was just a toy. Easily replaceable too.

Ayato jetted to Kanato's desk with me in tow an hissed, "What's so special about her? Hah? Your scent it all over her!"

"She'll make a very pretty doll." His voice almost seemed wistful and my mind struggled to read what he was thinking.

"Tch, she's just a skeleton." All of a sudden Snakey seemed uninterested as if what Kanato said made perfect sense and accepted it moving away and getting interrogated by Yui who was checking his eyes to make sure I hadn't scratched them in any way.

"I'm gaining weight..." I heard myself mutter defensively.

I looked up to see Kanato looking at me with such distrust and suspicion, "Please never talk to Ayato ever again."

"He wouldn't shut up." I mumbled in frustration hoping Kanato could comprehend that I had no power in that situation. I felt that I was being blamed for it somehow.

The teacher came in before Kanato or Snakey could respond and just like that the day had begun.

During break and lunch I guzzled my cranberry juice and Kanato ate his meal in silence, commenting occasionally how sweet it was whilst I enjoyed not being surrounded by lost souls.

As the day came to a close I could feel myself tensing in anxiousness and fear. Leaving with Kanto and his five other vampire brothers. Evelyn was surprisingly at the gates waiting for me as I exited the building with Yui and she greeted me with a curt nod and formally introduced herself to Yui.

"I-it's nice to meet you Perri-senpai!" Yui squeaked and her cheeks flushed. I could completely relate as Evelyn was quite the beauty and immensely intimidating to boot.

Evelyn accepted that and Yui separated to run off to four brothers who were waiting by a limo and was greeted rather warmly.

"Those are the half bloods. Avoid them."

That was all I needed to hear to make my curiosity end.

"Why are you here Lady Evelyn?" I couldn't help but inquire.

"You'll see, now hurry up we can't keep them waiting." She was already walking down the steps and towards the very rich looking limo. My eyes drifted across the stretched out car noting how it looked recently polished and spotless. Were all vampires rich?

I trotted behind her somehow hoping her tall stature would hide me from the group of four men who were huddled outside the vehicle.

"Reiji-san." Evelyn's voice made them all look up and one in a fedora giggled inappropriately, "Is this a girlfriend, Reiji-kun?"

Reiji, the megane, sighed and turned to the tall woman, "Yes, Evelyn-san, is this important?"

With a quick nod I felt a grip on my arm and all of a sudden I was being presented to them, "One of your brothers..."

"Kanato-san," I supplied.

"Yes, Kanto-san, has invited over Eponine-san and I want her back before six." The time was now three which gave Kanato three hours alone time with me.

"I wasn't aware we were having guests, Reiji-kun. She's so cute fufufu!" Fedora man leered.

"Neither was I." Reiji's eyes narrowed in annoyance.

"Well that isn't my issue, if you can't accommodate her please inform your brothers not to hand out such invites." I finally could see the angle Evelyn was coming from.

"Yeah cause I have lots of work to do." I couldn't help but want to throw Kanato further under the bus.

I heard a brief laugh and I saw the Stair Pervert! Of course he was part of the vampire gang! Of course. He was leaning against the limo and I looked to see the other guy with his arms crossed brooding at the pavement looking impatient.

"Of course we can have a guest and I will inform Kanato to tell me before hand." Reiji seemed at bit more defensive but my shoulders drooped slightly when he said I could visit. Evelyn too let go of my shoulder, intending to leave me to stand with the freaks.

I waved her goodbye after she formally excused herself my arm wanting to reach out as I felt burning gazes on me.

"It's not very often we have such cute young girls come home with us! Especially Kanato-kun!"

"You're posture is deplorable."

"...So loud..."

"Where the FUCK are the other two!?"

...What a lovely bunch of gentlemen.

Deciding to fill the time I gave a small bow and introduced myself, "My name's Perri Eponine and I share a class with Kanato and Snakey."

The angry guy seemed confused while fedora man giggled in a strange pitch.

"Do you mean Ayato-kun, Bitch-chan?" Fedora man had similar eyes to Ayato, the same predatory green glint- wait did he just call me a bitch?

"I did, and please don't call me that, your brother has snake eyes and is very fast." It seemed appropriate, I justified.

Fedora man hummed in amusement but Reiji was glaring now, "Do you have no manners?"

"At least I introduced myself..." The words spilled from my lips before I could stop them. I don't know why but Reiji was very intimidating, probably because he was even taller than Evelyn and his red eyes flashed with such bitterness and hatred and talked to me as if I was something on the bottom of his shoe.

Before Reiji could explode he stood straighter and spoke through gritted teeth, "We are waiting for Ayato and Kanato."

I stood silently and found myself surprised at the sound of my voice. I usually remained silent and off to the side like a creepy forgotten portrait on the wall in an ugly elaborate frame. My body's sudden need to defend itself was baffling since I was used to this class system of species. However, when I was with the girls I felt like a house cat in a room of larger predator cats but as I watched the final two brothers making their way towards the limo ... I felt like mouse in a viper pit.

 **Hello dear readers! Thanks for reading till the end I appreciate it.**

 **Any Reviews/Follows/Favourites are always welcomed I'd like to know what you think.**

 **So I made Yui live with the Mukami's cause I don't know about you but I think given the choice it would be logical to choose the half-human smaller family of vampires.**


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